A Plan for Maintaining Running/Exercise Through the Fall

(CROSS POSTED ON READING TEACHERS RUNNING)

I've been slacking, as I am sure you can tell. It's August and I can already see that exercise is getting harder to make time for.  As you know, the life of a teacher is a bit crazy. The cycles are very predictable. There are times when we are so busy working and thinking about working that it is hard to be balanced. Then we seem to get a long weekend here or there or a vacation that we just crash for a few days.  I have talked to lots of my teacher friends who have not exercised as much as usual during these last few weeks of summer. It isn't just me.  And it isn't really about time-I think it is more that our work with children is a job that we think about a LOT--not only when we are at school. So the times when we are overwhelmed and consumed are not necessarily because we are working more physical hours. I think it is more that our brain is constantly thinking about what we can do to make learning better for kids. It is hard to justify exercising when you have a kid whose learning you need to support in better ways.

And the Summer Goals didn't go so well. I did the Color Run but pretty much just walked it and hung out with friends. I decided not to do the COLOR ME RAD (although I will be thinking about my friends who are doing it, friends who I let down, cheering them on from home:-)  because the races seem to be a stress for me right now. And I end up getting off of my exercise routine after a big run like that.   I lasted about 2 days on Another Mother Runner's June Challenge. I lasted about a week or two with #bookaday. And I am not sure I've finished a book yet in August. My house is clean enough but there are still summer projects that I didn't get to.  So, my point is, I am not in some great exercise routine that I just need to keep up. I need to actually bump it up for the fall.

I personally define fall as the time between now and NCTE's Annual Convention. The annual convention to me marks the time when the first parent conferences, first grading periods, first units of study are over. It is usually around that time that the classroom is working well, routines are set, there is strong community. NCTE's annual convention is always kind of a turning point in the school year for me. It moves me from "Beginning of the Year Crazy" to the next phase of the school year.  So, to be honest with myself, the beginning of the school year--when it is most difficult to keep up a healthy eating and exercise routine- is not merely the first few weeks.   It is really the first  2 1/2-3 months.  That is the time I am thinking about in terms of keeping a healthy, balanced life-complete with running and exercise.

So, what did I do?

Now that I have been honest about all that I didn't do, I have to think about what I did accomplish this summer. I did exercise and although I am in no better shape than I was on June 1, I am not much worse. (a little, but not much)

I have a different attitude about running. Since reading RUNNING FOR MORTALS, I really try to push myself, but not so hard as to hate running.  I am going slower and that seems to be a good step for me.

I cleaned my closet and found I have gone down about 1 size. I got rid of lots of clothes and bought a few new things ( a size smaller).

I moved in and organized my classroom. A new role and a new space so a lot of time was spent in the classroom getting organized this summer.

I completed the copyedit of my upcoming Minilessons book with Choice Literacy which will be coming out soon.

I did lots with family and friends.

I tried a few new exercises.

My house is more organized than it was in the spring. (not a ton, but enough..)

I did workshops for Choice Literacy and All Write.

I attended All Write and the Ohio Innovative Learning Conference and learned lots.

I participated in the NCTE Executive Committee retreat in July.

I read about 40 books.

Here's the thing. I tend to over plan and tend to think I can do more than I actually can. I like to do lots of things and I tend to say yes to anything that sounds interesting. I am also not so good at not overdoing. I seem to overdo things because they sound like good ideas at the time.  I want to do really good work but not spend time doing worthless things that take lots of time.  In teaching, there is always more than can be done but sometimes I over plan, over think when my first idea and plan was best anyway.

So, I am trying to learn how to deal more rationally with my never-ending TO-DO list. I HATE having things to do that I am not doing. I have trouble relaxing or having fun when I know there is something I should be doing. I cannot pace well--I like to get everything done all of the time.  Clearly, this does not work. Last year, I found a system that seemed to work. I plotted out my to-do things by week so that I could spread out my to-do list a bit. That seemed to help. But with school starting, my lists are again becoming unrealistic.

I do not give myself much time to do the things I enjoy by myself...baking, exercise, reading, etc. Then I get very cranky.

And one more thing--Ialready have a full fall planned:

I am starting with a new class of 4th graders in a week. I am VERY excited about this and having been out of the classroom  for 4 years, I want to give it lots of time.

I am participating in two sessions at NCTE that I'll need to prepare.

I am doing a one-day Choice Literacy workshop in Maine in October. I'll be gone for most of that weekend.

I will participate in the yearlong Literacy Connection.

I oversee the district new teacher/mentor program.

There are things like curriculum night, Ana's curriculum nights., parent conferences, first trimester school events, etc.

Ana turns 13 this year so there are birthday parties to plan.

So, even if I don't add one more thing, I am busy enough.  So this fall, I am giving myself permission to say no to things I enjoy but don't really have time for. For example, Jack Gantos is speaking in Columbus in a few weeks. I would LOVE to hear him. Cover to Cover has several authors coming this fall who I will want to hear.  There are Saturday local workshops that sound interesting. Writing group is meeting.  There will be blog events and other things.  I have gotten better at saying no to things I don't want to do, but this fall, to keep up with exercise, I am going to try to say no to work/literacy related things that I WANT to do, but just don't realistically have time for.

I also found that adding a 4th run to my weekly goal was too much for me. I actually ran less because I had no flexibility in the schedule. 3 runs is perfect and then if I can fit a 4th in, great.

I find that I like to do the extra work but not on a set schedule..Too many scheduled events make down time and exercise time hard to find.  I am learning this about myself slowly. When I am too scheduled, even with things I love to do--exercise is the first thing to go.

So, here is how I will measure balance each week this fall--these are the questions I hope I can say yes to every week.

Did I exercise 3-6 days per week? (ideally 3 days of running and 3 days of something else.)

Did I do really good work?

Did I have fun? Did I do some things for myself (read a good book, spend time with friends, etc.)

Did I get some non-work things accomplished (laundry, cook dinners, etc.)

Was I organized for the  week?

Did I spend time with my family?

Do I have energy? Did I have enough down time to remain positive?

Originally, I decided that I would schedule fall. I would decide on 3 days to run in the mornings, 2 days to go to Harbor Yoga for a hot yoga class, and one day to do something else. And I would stick with it all fall. But then I reflected. And I realized that every week is different and what worked best for me last winter was looking at my week each Sunday and planning accordingly--it was easy to decide when I could plug in exercise each week. Rather than skip a workout because I had a meeting after school, planning each week as they come up gives me a better chance of exercising lots.

I am still debating on doing the PUMPKIN RUN. My gut says to sign up and make this the 5K that I actually complete and enjoy.  I haven't totally decided yet because I haven't had the best luck with races and since I am still running a 15-16 minute mile, I am worried about being too slow for a race that is really about running.

Ideally, I'll run 3 days (2 in the morning before school and 1 long run on Saturday) and I'll go to yoga twice. And then once a week, I am hoping to walk with friends or  do something low-key.

That's my plan. I'll keep you posted....

Balance

by Hugh MacLeod at Gapingvoid.com

New Tradition

Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Paul Watson

How many times have Franki and I written about balance here? Too numerous to count, right? 

Well, we decided to LISTEN to ourselves and ACT upon what we heard.

We're taking a blog vacation this coming week -- our spring break. We took our first blog vacation last year at this time, and it seems like the kind of thing we'd like to do for ourselves on a yearly basis.

This week, we'll be 

reading

writing

spring cleaning

planning for summer

connecting with friends

resting

recharging

exercising

planning for Poetry Month

See you next Friday for the Poetry Friday Roundup. Until then, Happy Spring! Happy Balancing!

THE GOOD NEIGHBOR COOKBOOK

Reviewing a cookbook before I have tried a recipe doesn't seem quite right. But I figure if I am honest about it here at the beginning, you can decide whether you want to check out this book or not.

As many of you know, I have been working hard on balance.  I started 2011 off with Things I Am Thinking About for This Year and many of those included balance. I have also added exercise back into my life and was happy to read RUN LIKE A MOTHER and to learn that fitting exercise is hard for everyone.    From the comments I've received on these posts, it seems many of us constantly struggle with balance. It is an ongoing goal. I am also trying to be nicer--a better person. So, I was interested in THE GOOD NEIGHBOR COOKBOOK when I heard about it a few weeks ago. The book is filled with 125 recipes to cook for others--for new mothers, new neighbors and friends who are ill. It also includes recipes for social events such as block parties and book clubs.

Like the authors in the book, I have a few staple meals and items that I take to others when needed. They are fine recipes but not always quite right and a little boring for me after a while. This book is divided into sections based on events. The premise is that you might bring different things to a new mom than you would a recuperating friend. A few page intro at the beginning of each section helps explain the thinking behind the choices. For example, a few "flavorful but not overpowering" meals that are good for friends going through chemotherapy. Dishes that "travel well" for block parties, etc. These authors have really thought through things beyond just sharing recipes.

I don't often like cookbooks without photos.  I like to see what it is I am making--what it is supposed to look like.  But, this one doesn't have photos and I still like it. Here is why: the recipes seem simple enough and are explained well enough, that I don't think I need a picture. They are interesting recipes--not your same-old recipes, but they are simple, not too complicated.

I do go into phases like this. A few years ago, when I was in a balancing mood, I purchased a book at a Southern Living party called CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN.  My friends (you know who you are...) laughed at me, at this vision I had for myself. But I must say, 2-3 of my favorite staple recipes have come from that book and they are always a hit. I feel like this new book might be the same for me. One I can go back to for years and find a recipe here and there to add to my usuals.

As of now, there are several recipes I'd like to try--of course I will try any recipe before I give it to a friend. Here are the first few I hope to try:

Creamy Tomato Baked Ravioli and Spinach
Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins
Barbecue Spiced Chicken with Southwestern Slaw
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
Peanut Crunch Cookies

The authors of this book also have a great blog that you'll want to check out. I read it for a few weeks before I decided that I must have this book. The blog is filled with recipes, stories and more. You can read more about the authors here too.

RUN LIKE A MOTHER

I just finished the book RUN LIKE A MOTHER:  HOW TO GET MOVING AND NOT LOSE YOUR FAMILY by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell.  I read this book on my Kindle while on the exercise bike over the last few weeks. I had forgotten how I'd ever found this book but then remembered that Mandy at Enjoy and Embrace Learning had recommended it.  I am sure many of you are surprised that I read this book. Probably because it is obvious that I am not a runner. But I have actually read a lot of running books and self-help books are always a part of my January reading.  I read THE COURAGE TO START by John "The Penguin" Bingham a few years ago.  And I've read several issues of Runner's World.  Deep down, I must want to be a runner. My friends are amused that it is so like me to READ about running instead of actually becoming a runner.

I LOVED this book.  Yes, I would love to run. And yes, this book got me through the worst first weeks of exercise while pathetically out of shape. But I loved this book because it was about moms trying to balance their lives.  Moms trying to take care of themselves and their families. Moms who had a passion that is so much a part of their identity, that they can't not fit it into their lives. These moms just happen to be passionate about running.

I have had many years of being in and out of shape lately. I was an 80s aerobics girl and loved it--I loved the music, the outfits and the fun. In the last 10-12 years, I have gone in and out of shape-mostly out.  I did have a year or so of boot camp, that if you have followed my writing for long, you know about.    I did okay for a while and even learned a bit about struggling readers in the process.  But work or writing or  something got in the way.

What I realized when reading this book was that work is my passion--the teaching, the reading, the writing, all of it. And just as people ask the authors of RUN LIKE A MOTHER how they fit in marathon running, people often ask me how I fit in writing, consulting, etc.  I am never quite sure how I fit it all in but it is so much of my identity and so much of what I believe in, that not fitting it in has never really been an option.

BUT, I would like to be more balanced and this book has really helped me with that. Because I realized it isn't easy for anyone to fit in exercise. I realized that even for these marathon runners, it is work to keep going. I found that these two authors are passionate about their work AND about their running and even though it is somewhat connected, they don't jump out of bed every morning excited to run.  These are moms who are sometimes tired, who try to do it all, and who keep going.

And they are real moms. You can tell because they quote things like "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie". And they don't trust Hollywood stars who run in the same ways we don't trust Hollywood stars who write children's books.  And they like food.  One of my favorite lines in the book was, "As much as I love my husband and kids, what I really live for are carbohydrates." Really, how could you not love these girls.

So, this book has been monumental for me--the book I needed at exactly the right moment. I read it while on the exercise bike--starting an exercise routine in the worst shape I've ever been in. And this book got me through those 4 weeks. I only read it on the bike and their stories kept me going when it was not easy. Because I realized, it is never easy. For anyone.

Being a working mother is hard. Being a balanced working mother is harder. I don't know if I will ever run anywhere other than my treadmill, but I have a new sense of things after reading a book by these amazing runners, who are so committed to running. I learned so much from them--not only about running but about cycles of life, friendship, commitment, the reality of trying to do it all. And they tell their story with such humor that I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times.

The good news is that this book is quite the bargain right now. I have no idea why. I had mine on my Kindle but know I will want to have a hard copy so I ordered one. I also ordered a few extras- just in case a friend needs a boost. And I was thrilled to find out that these two women have a blog--RUN LIKE A MOTHER. I have visited it often in the last 5 weeks and it to has kept me going. They have a "FOLLOW THIS MOTHER" feature, which I love--you learn about so many moms working to fit exercise and fitness into their lives too.

So, I discovered this book accidentally and it got me through the hardest part of getting back in shape--those first 5 weeks. This week marks the beginning of the 6th week of consistent exercise. I feel better and am pretty sure that the hardest part is behind me. Those first few weeks are always the worst. I also know though, that the cycles of life make it so there are always times that exercise doesn't fit in so nicely. That there are times when it isn't so easy. And I feel more ready for that.

This is a great read, especially for moms who want to run. But even if you don't have any desire to run, this book is about more than that. It is about balancing and fitting in your passions --fitting them into an already wonderful and full life. These women are my new heroes:-)

Poetry Friday -- Balance

photo by alittlething from Flickr Creative Commons

Books are piled everywhere, clamoring to be read.

A perpetual to-do

List (never completed, never shorter) sits

At my place at the table. I

Need to vacuum and dust, not to mention

Check papers and write lesson plans. But

Everything can wait while we have this cup of tea together.

©Mary Lee Hahn, 2010

Last spring, we took our fourth graders to a leadership camp, where they took part in all kinds of team-building activities. One activity was a giant platform teeter-totter that could hold an entire small group of students. Their goal was to arrange themselves on the platform so that it was still and balanced. The group I was with was not having an easy time with teamwork, and they attacked this challenge, as they had the others, without communication and planning. The camp counselor and I watched as the platform tipped up in one direction and they all moved to the other side of the platform,  tipping it up in the other direction. Back and forth, crises after crises, no communication, no planning, no balance (but lots of squealing and bouncing and fun).

Balance, to me, is NOT when the platform of my life is completely still and level. That would be impossible to achieve for more than about 5 minutes at a time. But balance is also NOT those times when the platform of my life tips back and forth wildly. What I'm trying for is a life that dips slightly on the one side when work piles up a little too much, but that also dips slightly the other way when I put all the work aside and take time for me -- for exercise, time with friends, blogging, sleeping in. The tilt has been towards the work side the past few weeks. I'm inching my way over to the "me time" side, beginning with a cup of tea, and Poetry Friday!

Elaine has the roundup at Wild Rose Reader this week. I'll be putting aside my to-do list tomorrow morning to come and read the week's offerings. See you then!